Ecological Elements
Lessons from "The Lorax": From Environmental Narcissism to Nature as Sacramental
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Sharon Lindenburger
Dr. Seuss's fuzzy yellow Lorax declares that he speaks for the trees in a story beloved by both children and adults. When not only willful disregard or greed work to create environmental degradation, but also unconscious personal attitudes of entitlement and privilege, it is crucial to recognize the effects of a mental state I define as "environmental narcissism." Environmental narcissism leads to environmental destruction incrementally with attitudes such as "this is my property and I’ll do what I want.” My paper provides examples of environmental narcissism in natural areas where thoughtless individual human impact is rapidly harming the ecology we inhabit. It is not simply stiffer conservational laws that can address this. I suggest that we need insights from a spirituality that sacramentalizes nature. How would our behaviour change if we were to see nature as sacramental? To illustrate this, I draw upon the wisdom of the Lorax and Celtic spirituality--notably two renowned modern Irish mystics, John Moriarty and John O'Donahue. Moriarty’s statement that “Eros makes geography into geology” is his first step to affirming the holiness of Nature’s matter, its solidity. O’Donahue in his last book, Walking in Wonder, speaks of sacramental signs in Nature—“I go among trees and sit still.” Perceiving nature as sacramental matter, drawing upon several traditions, may help to free ourselves from unconscious environmental narcissism and point toward healing the natural world. It is urgent, for as Seuss’s Lorax proclaims: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.”
Religion and Sustainable Development: The Role by Faith Based Organizations in the Implementation of Agenda 2030
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Johan Gärde
It has been argued that religion could both be a major driver for human and sustainable development, but also an obstacle when it comes to implementing major global programs for poverty elimination, as the framework of action is being questioned by religious congregations, entities, and Faith Based Organizations (FBOs) with conflicting and opposing values. Another major hurdle is the growing patterns of religious extremism, not only in the MENA-region and beyond, but also a global phenomenon, as well as affecting many vulnerable communities that might not be able to attain the sustainable development goals despite the facts that the resources and will are available. FBOs are also present outside the radar of official multilateral frameworks such as Agenda 2030, with alternative patterns of funding from, for instance, wealthy Gulf-countries with other agendas, mixing religious and political ideas, projects and messages. Another deficit is the gap of knowledge when it comes to the theoretical, philosophical, and theological ontology relating to core issues such as “development," “change," “wellbeing,” and “welfare.” In addition, empirical data is lacking on the type of FBOs, their involvement in shaping and implementing major schemes such as Agenda 2030, and alternative paths of funding and involvement. This paper contributes to the understanding of the role of FBOs in sustainable development implementation in analysing the different agendas and policies through a conceptual framework elaborated within the disciplines of sociology of religion and social work.
Shmita: A Biblical Vision for Conservation, Environmentalism, and Stewardship
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session David Krantz
At the dawn of the anthropocene, the epoch in which humans have become the most impactful force shaping the Earth, anthropogenic climate change and other forms of environmental destruction may be the biggest challenge ever faced by humanity--a “planetary emergency." How are we to transition from our present society of over-consumption and over-pollution to a new era of sustainability? Perhaps since the sources of the problem are complex and varied, such as capitalism, population growth, and technology, the sources of the solution also must be complex and varied. And given that the vast majority of people on Earth have a religious affiliation, one might widen one’s perspective to look toward religious concepts for how we can help inspire a sustainability transition. One such concept is the practice of shmita (alternatively spelled shemitah, shemitta, or shmitah), Judaism’s sabbatical year, as delineated in the Hebrew Bible. In this paper, I intend to explore shmita as emblematic of our modern notion of sustainability, encompassing conservation, environmentalism and stewardship. Just as other Jewish concepts such as Shabbat, the sabbath, have inspired much of the world, shmita too may inspire others to embrace sustainability. Shmita is part of an as-of-yet-unrealized biblical vision for a sustainable future for humanity, a vision that can transcend religious boundaries and, despite being thousands of years old, may be the inspiration that we need most now at the dawn of the anthropocene.
